13 X
by Amaryne
Summary: Mello counts the times he sees Linda. Yep, it's an actual Mello x Linda! R&R!


**13 X**

**Summary:** Mello counts the times he sees Linda. [Yep, it's an actual Mello x Linda] R&R!

**Author's Note:** Started off as a Near x Linda (which I _will _write) but then...I made Mello and Linda interact and threw the idea away after many minutes (or perhaps hours) of whining and wondering to my friends on MSN :D So eh. Yeah. R&R!

The first time Mello sees Linda she's shivering with a blanket over her dirty, ragged clothes and a golden paintbrush in her hand. She stares at him, and he stares at her, but he then gives a strange sort of curt nod before walking away with Matt.

Roger tells him later that the girl had been trying to sell her art by drawing on rocks with sticks. His hand digs into his bag as he ruffles for something, and pulls out a fairly large stone with a picture of a bird. Mello blinks owlishly at it, taking in the minor but necessary details and the amount of effort that was put into it.

"Wow," Matt remarks behind him. "That's really good."

And with that Mello understands why Roger would take her in.

* * *

The second time Mello sees Linda she's walking in the hallways, observing everything and occasionally stopping to briefly sketch whatever captures her interest. She happens to pass by Mello's room, the door with _Mello's Room _in a scrawly handwriting plastered against it, and she slowly pushes the door ajar. Mello is inside the room, in his inky black shirt and pants, seeming a lot more sinister contrasting against the cream coloured walls. With his somewhat feminine hair Linda almost mistakes him for a girl (and who wouldn't, he was rather pretty). With her head telling her to leave and her curiousity nagging her, she takes a step forward. Mello snarls at her and Linda looks slightly perplexed as if wondering why he was angry at her.

"My name," She introduces, as if hoping that the snarl would leave his face if she were to say her name. "is Lya – Linda."

The correction doesn't go unnoticed, but he replies, as he gets off his bed to go search for Matt. "I'm Mello."

* * *

The third time Mello sees Linda she's glaring at him, which he finds utterly amusing because no one stands up to _Mello_. The paint is splattered everywhere, a paintbrush is snapped in two, and there are a few smudges on Linda's face and arms. Mello is laughing and Linda's hands are clenched into fists, but then she releases them and slaps him.

Everyone gasps dramatically and scatter out hurriedly (with the exception of Near, who is seemingly unimpressed and Matt, being Mello's best friend). Mello slowly brings his hand to his sore cheek, not looking at Linda. His eyes then darts dangerously to her face and he twitches violently. She inches back a little, wondering if it was such a good idea, but then pulls herself together as she looks at the paintbrush again. Her eyes harden and soon enough Mello and Linda are having a silent staring feud.

Linda doesn't seem like she regrets what she did; quite the contrary. Her teeth are gritted, but tears are brimming her eyes, although it's obvious that she is refusing to cry. "Mello," She chokes out, breaking the silence. "My mother _made _me that. _Made_." She points to the paintbrush's corpse, her arm shaking.

Mello crosses his arms over his chest and growls, "Lots of kids here have crap their parents gave them, even me." He flings the rosary. "But most of them don't even matter. That was going to break sooner or later anyway, it was lousy quality."

Linda takes in his words, looking ready to slap him again, but her face softens as she looks at the rosary. "Oh." She says in a small voice.

Mello bites off a piece of chocolate with a loud _crack_. The children peek in, wondering if it was safe to enter. Linda drops her gaze and begins to pick up the pieces of her paintbrush dejectedly. Mello turns to Matt and indicating that they were going to  
leave, glowering a little as he passes Near. Linda's eyes follow Mello as he leaves, then looks back at the paintbrush, and sighs heavily.

* * *

The fourth time Mello sees Linda it's at night and he's off to the toilet, but stops dead in his tracks as he sees Linda creeping out of the orphanage quietly with some change in her pocket, desperately trying to stop the clinking of the coins. Mello lifts an eyebrow, but hides behind a chair so that she can't see him. He hears the rustle of her coat as she wears it, and then the harsh wind when she opens the door. It suddenly closes, but the wind's still locked inside the rooms. Mello shivers before standing up and taking a coat as well, not really quite sure what's motivating him to stalk – Mello shakes his head. He's not stalking her. Just following her without her knowing...two completely different things. He opens the door and shuts it as soon as possible, hoping that no one has heard.

He scans the street to find Linda's brown hair swinging in one direction, the blistering snow blanketing her head. He stealthily follows her, only to find her standing in front of a church. He frowns, wondering why she would stop in front of a church.

Linda turns around and Mello quickly hides behind a tree. Linda shrugs and walks around the church as Mello follows her once more, the snow becoming deeper and deeper as he does so. He wonders if Linda will hear the crunching of his footsteps as they step into the snow, but decides that the snow being thrown from the sky is much too strong and too noisy for her to hear. Linda halts at one side of the wall and begins to shove the door. She grunts as she finally manages to get the back door open and slips in as quietly as she can. Before the door slams shut Mello runs and rests his body against it so that it didn't close. He begins peering inside; Linda's back was turned on him, so she wouldn't see him. He hears the jangling of the coins, and it sounds like she's dropping them – but instead of the _dings _of the coins crashing onto hard surface he hears nothing. He bends his neck a bit more to see what she's doing -

Linda is giving offerings to a Catholic Church.

Mello subconsciously fingers his rosary, gaping at Linda for a while as she raises her head to look at the statue of the Virgin Mary. She wraps her gloved hands together and smiles. "I'm not Catholic," She says, and it echoes throughout the church, bouncing off the walls and stained glass. "I must be invading." Her voice drops into a quiet tone as she says so. "But the thing is – we're not really allowed outside, but I feel like -" She keeps on stopping herself as she speaks, and appears rather pathetic, being all tongue-tied in an empty church. "You know. I feel like I should be doing this. And I feel really good doing this. You know? This is why people do stuff for other people, to have this feeling." She inclines her head so that she is facing the floor. "I'm really sorry -" She starts again.

"Linda, what the hell are you doing?"

The door is shut now and her voice won't travel through the winds anymore; _Mello's_ voice is authoritative and loud and _accusing._

"I was just – um – did you hear everything I said?" Her voice dims.

Mello narrows his eyes with what Linda thinks is either contempt or suspicion. Maybe it's both. Maybe it's neither. Linda mentally shakes her head. Of course he's heard everything.

"I wanted – and – your rosary – um..." Linda bites her lip. "You see, you said it was from your parents, but you never mentioned being Catholic, so I thought...maybe...I could..." She picks at the threads of her gloves. "I'm sorry, Mello, I can't get what I want to say out, because you'll laugh at me."

He contemplates that for a moment before approaching her, but when he walks to her it's not the way he would walk to attack someone, Linda notes. She sighs a little in relief, but Mello interprets it as an exhale. "Well, how the hell -"

"Mello," Linda interjected. "Don't swear in a church." She looks around warily, before locking her eyes on his rosary again. "It's really beautiful, that rosary."

"It's just some cheap antique," Mello snorts, speaking in a louder tone, startling Linda a little since she had been speaking so meekly before. "You can get it anywhere."

Linda eyes it carefully, pausing before saying, "You're right. It's not beautiful."

Mello blinks in surprise from the scorn that had laced her words. He opens his mouth only to close it; Linda wasn't finished.

"Is that how you want me to say it?" Linda mutters, her voice growing louder as she continues. "You always act like we treat you like nothing, but that's not true, we respect you. And when we treat you badly you're always surprised, and then you'll use it against us. I don't like it, Mello." She lifts her gaze to his face, forlorn but strong. "I don't like it at all."

* * *

The fifth time Mello sees Linda he's left a paintbrush at the door. He knocks before quickly running away, because he doesn't want to seem like some sort of big _softie _in front of Linda, and if Linda knew it was him then she would think that her words at the church had impacted him, which they didn't (a little bit, not _much_).

"Where've you been?" Matt asks, not looking up from his game as Mello enters the room.

"Toilet." Mello replies automatically, sitting down on the bed next to Matt's and taking out a book.

* * *

The sixth time Mello sees Linda she's marveling at the sight of a canvas and an easel, but most of all her paintbrush. He can't help but ogle as she caresses it lovingly (it's a bit _strange - _after all, it's just a paintbrush). Mello makes himself a bit more comfortable in the armchair, occasionally stealing glances at Linda, who is searching for something to draw.

"Linda!"

Linda whips around, wondering who is calling her. It's a girl, Penelope, who was about 7th in line to be L's successor. "Linda, you know Mel -?" Linda hushes her quickly, making a gesture that said _he's-right-there _that Mello notices, but doesn't do anything but twitch, but not hard enough to be noticed. He pretends to continue his book by turning a page as Linda sighs in relief. "Well, anyway, did you know that Mel -?"

Linda flaps her hands around. "I don't want to hear this!" She hisses. "I'm busy drawing."

Penelope tilts her head to the side. "But your canvas is blank."

"Still." Linda huffs childishly.

"It's got to do with you, too!" Penelope persists.

At this, Linda's ears perk up and she immediately faces Penelope. "What about me? I haven't done anything interesting lately."

"Um, Linda? Paintbrush? Not to mention Mello broke it before? Hello?"

"Um, Penelope? Mello, out of all people? Not to mention we had a fight? Hello?" Linda imitates perfectly, hands on hips and a valley girl tone.

Mello snickers.

The two stop arguing instantly, freezing. Linda is the first one to speak. "See! He can hear! Now go!" She pushes Penelope hastily, only to have her resist.

"He's reading a book; he could be laughing at something in it!"

"He's reading _A_ _Series of Unfortunate Events_!"

"But Linda, I need to tell you -"

"I'm drawing!" Linda says, frustrated, clearly ending the conversation. Penelope folds her arms over her chest and walks out of the room in annoyance.

"What are you drawing, Linda?"

"Shut _up, _Mello."

* * *

The seventh time Mello sees Linda he realises she's been sort of stalking him. And when he turns to face her she's not afraid to smile at him and wave. He scowls at her but she just beams up at him and draws some more useless scribble on her sketchbook. It doesn't take two cents to figure out what she's doing; she's drawing him, of course.

"She could be drawing me, you know," Matt points out when Mello mentions it. "I'm with you almost twenty-four seven. You never know, man."

"Who'd want to draw you?" Mello says arrogantly, glancing at Linda again, who is this time in an armchair, very intent on what she is drawing at the moment.

Matt shrugs and grins sloppily. "I'll go see."

He walks over to Linda nonchalantly and leans over her. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Ah!" Linda squeaks, dropping her pencil and swiftly covering her sketchbook. "Oh, it's you, Matt."

"You make that sound like a bad thing," Matt pouts, leaning on the top of the armchair. He lowers his voice. "Drawing Mello, ay?"

"Yes! I think he's figured it out that I'm drawing him, he is second best after all," Linda says, uncovering her sketchbook to reveal said boy. "He's really interesting. All his expressions. Most of them include scowls and he is rarely surprised but..." She smiles. "Still interesting."

"Well, you see, I have come here to see who you're drawing, me or him," He points to Mello who is watching them warily. "And he's _pretty_ sure you're drawing him, but I'm going to prove him wrong." She frowns, stating that she _is _drawing him, and that she doesn't understand what he means. Matt grins harder at this and says, "By _lying_."

Linda's mouth falls into a comical 'O' shape. "But isn't Mello going to get angry at you if he finds out you lied to him?"

"Oh naïve, naïve Linda," Matt shakes his head, clicking his tongue. "That's the whole idea. He doesn't find out."

"But what if he do -"

"He won't."

Linda opens her mouth to protest again but thinks better of it, closing her mouth. "So you're going to tell him I'm drawing you?"

"Bright as a bulb, you are," Matt quips cheerily.

"But why?"

Matt smiles deviously, frightening Linda a bit. Matt's the sidekick and is always following Mello, being his (only) best friend, and this all seems to obscure the fact that he _is _the third best in Wammy's House. _So we're underestimating him, _Linda concludes, since she is only getting that smile as a response. "Alright, Matt, that's a mischevious smile if I ever saw one, what are you plotting now?"

"I just want to test something, is all." And with that, Matt departs, walking towards Mello. Linda stares after him skeptically, and watches as he says a few things to Mello. Linda likes the reaction he gauges out of Mello; he looks genuinely astonished that his theory was proven wrong, and the amazement flits off his face as fast as it came. The scowl replaces it all, as it does with every other emotion he possesses. Mello replies to Matt, but judging from his lips it's short and direct. Matt chuckles and when Mello turns his back he flashes a thumbs-up at Linda, who frowns with perplexity.

* * *

The eighth time Mello sees Linda she's speaking to Matt, and he's wondering _why _the two are such good buddies, they've not spoken much before. Linda, he regards, is rather timid and shy when communicating with Matt, who is his old self, if not a little more cocky and impish. Matt's hands are in his pockets and his posture just screams laid back and easygoing and Linda's hands are laced together behind her, appearing slightly nervous.

"Matt, I really don't like the looks Mello is giving me..." Linda mumbles. And indeed, Mello is giving her dirties, because in his eyes she's _stealing _Matt away from him. Which is ludicrous, because Matt's as loyal like a dog to its owner is, but Mello's _Mello _and he can't help being the way he is. "And what did you need to test? You know, the other day, you said so..."

"Oh, nothing, don't worry," Matt says airily. "I think it's working, though."

"What's working?" Linda asks, placing her hands on her hips in frustration. "I don't like how you're playing games with me, Matt. Do that with your Game boy."

Three days after, everything is back to normal, Matt is with Mello, but Mello still has that twinge of jealousy. But Matt's right next to him every time he tries to blame Linda. He thinks of how nervous Linda is when in front of Matt when he grins boyishly at her, how she was drawing _Matt _not Mello - and to Mello's horror, he realises that he's not jealous of Linda, he's jealous of _Matt._

* * *

The ninth time Mello sees Linda she reminds him of how _kind _she can be, because she's not holding anything against him while he's always bringing up their times in the Catholic church and her broken paintbrush (just out of spite, because it'd seem so strange if he treats her nicely compared to everyone else – it'd be seen in one second) but she's always brushing it off, always replying with that sad smile.

"Mello, let me draw your rosary."

"What is _with _you and my rosary? Can't you just leave it alone?" Mello snaps, irritated. Linda backs away a little.

"Let me draw you, then."

"Hell no."

Linda frowns. "Then could we have a proper conversation without you criticizing me?"

"It's your own fault that you're so annoying."

Linda sighs, and wonders if Mello even _tries _to be friendly.

* * *

The tenth time Mello sees Linda she's painting as usual and he's up to the second book of the _Series of Unfortunate Events._

"Linda! Linda! They're handing out the results from the last test out now!" Penelope calls. Linda whips around, only to have a paper shoved at her. "You got 93%! You did really well! Matt and Mello are next." Before Linda can say something back Penelope rushes out.

Linda, Matt, Mello and Near head after Penelope, Near being the last to get in, a few kids accidentally pushing him around due to his small size. Mello smirks at this, but is more eager to receive his results. Matt gets his first: 96%.

"Mello? Your results," Roger says.

Mello almost skips up to Roger and snatches the paper out of his hands, smile widening as reads his mark. 98.9%.

"Look! Near is getting his results!"

A gasp.

A few claps.

Mello's smile fades as he hears the inevitable 100%. His grip on the paper tightens, creases growing on the paper. Suddenly a hand rubs his upper arm comfortingly; Mello freezes. Linda is casting him a sympathetic look, wondering what to say. She doesn't want to anger him with rehearsed, hackneyed lines. If he wants those he could just buy a Hallmark card. She opens her mouth and closes it repeatedly, looking a bit like a goldfish. Finally she just hugs him, surprising him even more, and when she pulls away she says, looking him straight in the eyes, "If it's any consolation..." She bites her lower lip to stop it from trembling. "I've always...preferred you...to Near."

Mello thinks he should practice self-restraint, because he can't stop the satisfaction he gets displaying itself on his face.

* * *

The eleventh time Mello sees Linda it's right after the words _L is dead _are uttered from Roger's mouth and he storms out of Roger's office, furious and angry. He heads into his and Matt's room, stuffing things into a bag, uncaring of the fact that his clothes were all going to get creased – they're all black anyway, what does it matter? Uncertain footsteps are head; Linda is behind him.

"W...where are you going?"

"L is dead," He spits out. "And Roger wants me to join forces with – with – with _Near." _He slams his teeth into the chocolate harshly. "So I'm leaving."

Linda doesn't reply.

Mello picks up his bag and slings it over his shoulder, about to embark on his journey, but halts. Linda is staring, almost unresponsive. He expects her shock to be from L's death, or maybe from the fact that he's leaving, but he can't be sure. Linda's eyes dart from right to left before looking at him properly, but even then she doesn't speak.

Mello isn't sure what came over him, but before he knows it he grabs Linda's arm and looks at her almost pleadingly. "Come with me."

Linda's lips part, mulling over it. Eventually she shakes her head. "Mello – I can't. I'm sorry. I'm not taking Near's side, but..." She faces the floor in shame. "I just can't. I'm so, so, sorry." Tears are running down her face slowly and she wipes them away with her free arm.

The grip on her other arm slackens and she hears him say, "I should've known. I can't believe I was so stupid to believe you would..."

Mello pushes past her but when he reaches the doorway Linda says in a hopeful tone, "Remember me."

He looks over his shoulder, but doesn't respond. In a matter of seconds he is gone, gone from the orphanage, gone from her.

But she's still in his room, waiting.

* * *

The twelfth time Mello sees Linda it's on T.V, she's a famous artist now, and some fancy, sophisticated woman with loads of make-up is interviewing her. Linda is grown up now, but not really. She's lost the pigtails and the pink hoodie, but her face is still childish and bears memories of Wammy's House.

"_So, Linda -" _Mello thinks that she must be very pompous to allow herself to address Linda by her first name. _"Do you have any...significant others?"_

At this, Sayu Yagami, the girl Mello has kidnapped, looks up. Linda _is _well-known now, so for Sayu Yagami to be curious about this sort of gossip is possible. She's rather pretty, Mello notes. But she doesn't hold a candle to Linda.

"_Hmm..." _Mello smiles a bit. She really is still childish. Her expression is the same when she thinks. Her forehead creases a little, she pouts, and she looks thoughtfully downwards. _"I'm a silly person, you see. Do you know what silly people do, Ms Leon?" _The woman buzzes with confusion and shakes her head. Linda finds this funny as the corners of her mouth twitch pleasantly. _"They hold on to things that should be left behind. In other words, I can't let go of a crush that I've had...well, for a long time."_

The woman appears pleased. _"For the sake of our viewers...do you mind telling us who said mystery man is?"_

Linda grins girlishly, and she's back to being a fourteen year old girl again. _"I'll give you a codename! __How about...M2?" _She then frowns. _"No! M1. He'll always be M1 to me. But I really should move on. Could we move on to another subject?"_

"_Of course, Linda," _The woman says, though she looks puzzled. It sounds like Linda has admitted to liking a robot.

"She's so beautiful," Sayu gushes, despite her situation. Mello peers over his shoulder and wonders who untied her gag. "Talented, too. Apparently she's a prodigy! I love her portraits."

"She's a lot more than just beautiful and talented," Mello finds himself blurting out, though he's said it in a really low voice, but apparently Sayu hears this.

"Oh! Have you met her? I'd love to meet her -"

"Do you know what situation you're in, bitch?" Mello snarls. "Now shut up and who the _hell _untied your gag?!"

"I'm eating." She says, offended.

"I told you to shut up!" Mello yells, and Sayu zips her mouth, not saying anything more.

* * *

The thirteenth time Mello sees Linda he's not really seeing her, he's imagining her, because he's about to bloody _die _which was _not _part of the plan when he left Wammy's! And now Linda's seeing Mello in her imagination, but not really seeing him, more like _panicking _about him, because she's just seen Matt get shot unfairly on a _road _and he's laying there, there's no ambulance, because he's already _dead. _And if Matt's dead, where did Mello go? There were working together, last time she checked -

She switches the T.V off, her heart hammering, and scrambles to get her phone. Near had said to close off connection in case someone tries to contact her for information, but she can't help herself, she rings Near in desperation, because maybe he knows if Mello is dead or not -!

He's dead.

Yes, it might be all over, Kira is gone, Near is L now, yeah, it's a fine life. But now there's going to be no fourteenth time.

Linda announces that she's taking a break from drawing a while, just to have a bit of a vacation.

Because vacation can be interpreted in many different ways.

* * *

**Author's Note:** OMG AMBIGUOUS ENDINIIIING **gasp** Ahahahaha. I was initially skeptical of doing the parts where Mello has left Wammy's house, because I'm unsure of how far a crush/love can go after so many years. (And this was seven pages long! Aha, awesome.)

But yes. Please R&R? :3

**P.S **If any of you want to request a het pairing, message me! You'll either get a really short multi-chaptered story or a really long oneshot :)


End file.
